Page 109 of His Bonded Omega Mate
“I thought you were nest building?” Roan remarked.
“We were, but Tate’s raven needs shiny things from each of us to line the nest. It’s important.”
I flushed, embarrassed at my raven being a diva. They had never exercised their will so hard, so it inclined me to go along with it.
“I might have something.” Roan got up and went into the living room, coming back with a wolf figurine in his hands. “My mom made this. It was one of the few things I took when I left the Hayes pack.” It looked like they carved it out of onyx, the dark stone matching Roan’s wolf perfectly.
“Oh, Roan, that’s too precious to put in the nest.”
“No, I think it’s perfect. I think my mom would like to be watching over you and the egg.”
Tears welled, the sudden emotion catching me off guard. “Roan —“
“Please,” he begged.
“Thank you.” I took the treasured item, looked at Asher to check he’d be okay with it, then went to Roan, wrapping an arm around him as best I could with my bulging stomach.
Asher hugged Roan next. It was strange seeing them like that after the months of animosity from my mate towards the other alpha.
“Larken? Hiro? Do you have anything you’d like to add?” I asked hopefully. My raven was itching to get this bit done. The next was a little more complicated, and I wasn’t sure how Asher was going to cope with what I had planned.
“Oh, um, I think I have something that will work. Gimme a sec.” Larken looked confused and perhaps humbled to be asked. He was Roan’s best friend, aside from Kade, and also our guard. It wasn’t his fault that our own had betrayed us.
“Mine arrived the other day. My mother had them made and shipped. One for you and one for me.” Hiro searched for the packet that had arrived. “She’s really trying. I think the kidnapping and what happened to Roan really made things hit home for her, y’know?” Happiness filled the bond suggesting he’d found what he was looking for. “Ah-ha! These are Omamori, they are charms that ward off evil, a sort of good luck thing. I want the babies to grow up with parts of my culture.”
He handed me the teeny silk cloth bag. Hiro pointed at the stamp. “That’s from the temple she got it from. There’s a prayer inside for protection.” My mate looked embarrassed, a rare look from him. “I know we are shifters and don’t believe the same things as the humans, but there’s power in words and actions like this. It’s like a witch’s blessing.”
I curled my hand around his. “I believe that too. Thank you. This is perfect.”
Larken rejoined me as Roan took over watching the food and supervising Hiroshi’s efforts. “Here,” he handed me a pearl wrapped in silver wire on a strip of leather. “It’s a freshwater pearl from my home. There’s a farm there where they are cultured.”
It was beautiful. “Wow! This is lovely. Are you sure it’s okay to borrow it?”
Larken shrugged, sheepish. “It’s brought me good luck before. I figure it could help you now.”
“Come on, let’s get your shiny things back to the nest.” Asher ushered me back towards the stairs.
In our room, I carefully laid the borrowed heartfelt treasures around the nest, my raven feeling better for having them. Our alpha mate was quiet as he watched me. It hadn’t escaped my raven’s notice that he had given nothing for the nest.
“I have something for you. Don’t you worry about that. I had planned on giving it to you after our miracle is born, so maybe keep it in the box?”
Out of the nightstand came a black velvet box. “I didn’t think they’d make it in time. It was custom, but... here, have a look.”
I opened the box that he handed me, a gasp leaving my lips at the platinum band inside. It was etched with leaves with four stones, an emerald, topaz, onyx and a brown stone. “What’s this one?”
“It’s brown jasper. I wanted a stone for each of us. I meant what I said about making our family work, and this is the proof of it. Humans do this thing where they give a ring to their spouse when there’s a baby. I liked the symbolism of it, especially since we are all represented.”
I couldn’t hold back my tears. “Ash... that’s... I don’t know what to say. It’s stunning. I’m so grateful that fate gave us all this. I didn’t think I would be a few months ago, but what we are building is so special.”
“It is. Come on, let’s feed you for the next part of your nesting plan.” He gave a sly grin. Nothing got past my mate.
“You want our scents all over the nest?” Hiroshi was confused, his head tilted. I could just picture his tiger doing the same thing and had to stifle my laughter.
Anticipation was making it difficult to sit still. I was half hard already, though surprisingly, no one seemed to have noticed. I put it down to us all being keyed up and needing to reconnect.
“Yeah, Sunshine.”
Roan grinned, catching on quicker. “Will that be okay with you, Ash? We’ve all been sleeping together, but this might push your lion too far.”
